The seven articles in this monograph explore the relationship between legislation and policies/regulations directed at the education of students with special educational needs, and actual practices in schools and classrooms. The first article, "The Impact of Special Education Legislation on Schooling: A United States Perspective" (Mary Lynn…

Methods are presented for educators in the use of assistive technology to increase the participation of elementary students with severe disabilities in math, science, language arts and spelling, social studies, and reading activities. Over 80 curriculum-based activities using technologies that can be adapted to fit multiple environments and users…

The paper discusses the results of a longitudinal study, conducted in Swedish public schools, of children in the sixth grade in 1979-80 (n=116) and children in the third grade in 1981-82 (n=123) with mild mental retardation who had not been labeled. The study replicates an earlier study on the incidence of mild mental retardation which was…

This federally-funded study examined the effect of two early intervention settings on the social behaviors and development of 46 toddler-aged children with disabilities in Connecticut. The toddlers received early intervention services in natural group environments in the community or segregated center-based programs servicing only children with…

Designed for teachers, this guide provides recommendations regarding identification, interventions, and follow-through procedures for working with students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in a classroom setting. Chapter 1 discusses the identification of children with ADHD and includes information on the definition of ADHD,…

During the past several decades, educators have been experimenting with a variety of humanistic innovations to enrich students' academic, social, and emotional growth. These innovations include mainstreaming, inclusion, and detracking, and their intent is to reach out to all students, especially at-risk learners. To reach out, however, requires…

A survey examined the perceptions of parents and staff concerning the services provided to students (N=1,492) at 29 special education schools in New Zealand. Respondents were also asked to comment upon the possibility of including these students within regular school settings. Information was also collected regarding the demographic, ethnic, and…

Education in general and special education in particular are undergoing rapid and dramatic changes, and a number of current trends offer implications for future policy and practice. It is becoming clear that principles of special education are shaping the future of all education. As schools become more inclusive, attention is focused on…

Federal law requiring the least restrictive environment (LRE) for disabled students has resulted in the mainstreaming of disabled students and more recently, in the practice of inclusion. Although LRE has increased the number of disabled students in the general education classroom, the dual system of general and special education continues to…

Two statewide Montana projects address educational needs assessed through a biennial Comprehensive System of Personnel Development survey. Although addressing different needs, the projects use similar strategies for effective implementation in a large rural state. Montana Training for Inclusive Education is a program of inservice training,…

This paper addresses the dilemma faced by the requirement that educators provide appropriate and effective education for higher functioning students with autism, while lacking the necessary knowledge to provide such interventions. The first section discusses the diagnosis of autism (especially noting the presence of a "triad" of deficits…

This qualitative study of teachers'"sensemaking" about changing professional relationships and inclusive education involved interviews and observations of three teachers over the course of a school year. The teachers, one each from regular and special education and a "collaborating teacher," were employed in an urban upper elementary school in the…

A study assessed and compared the effectiveness of two distinct approaches of bilingual education used within a single school district in El Paso (Texas). The program designs, one a traditional transitional bilingual and the other a bilingual immersion, were implemented under similar conditions of resources, school year length, class size, and…

An evaluation was conducted to examine the process by which the Yellowhead School Division in Alberta (Canada) had integrated children with disabilities into regular classrooms, and to describe the current status of that process. A list of 16 steady objectives was developed. The evaluation, which took place from January through June 1991, covered…

The goal of the Kentucky Deaf-Blind Intervention Program was to provide training and technical assistance to improve the quality of special education and related services in integrated environments. The program worked with families and service providers for individuals ages birth through 21 who have dual sensory impairments, with special emphasis…